1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for washing clothes and more particularly to a non-electric device for washing clothes.
2. Background Information
Clothes washing is an age-old task required by nearly everyone on the planet Earth. In modernized societies, this activity is generally done by electric powered washing machines wherein clothes are added to a tub along with water and detergent. This mixture is then agitated for a period of time. After this period of time has elapsed, the water is removed from the tub, the clothes are rinsed by agitation for another period of time, the rinse water is then removed and the clothes are removed from the tub to dry.
Most modern washing machines require electricity, are large and not easily stored or transported, and are economically unattainable by a substantial portion of the world's population. These factors preclude their use by a variety of persons for a variety of reasons. For example, the size of these devices coupled with their need for electricity makes these devices unusable by persons such as sportsmen, campers, sailors, individuals involved in relief efforts, people living in third world countries, or other areas where electricity is limited. In addition, the size of most traditional modem clothes washing machines makes them unsuitable for use in small spaces or transportable. Furthermore, the cost of a typical modem washing machine may make obtaining such a machine difficult or impossible for individuals in some countries or economic situations to obtain.
The alternative to the use of modem types of washing machines is to manually wash and rinse the clothes. This process involves wetting the clothes, adding an amount of detergent or other cleaning agent, scrubbing or pounding the clothes against a surface such as a rock or a washboard, rinsing the clothes and repeating the process. This process has several disadvantages. First, clothes that are washed utilizing this process wear more quickly because of the wear and pounding that takes place when they are washed by this method. Second, the hands of the person using the washing board often become raw, bruised or sore as the washboard repeatedly contacts the person's hand. Third, this manual method of washing clothes involves lifting, scrubbing and wringing the clothes and can be very tiring to the person who washes the clothes. This results in manual clothes washing being a wet, tiring chore.
Therefore, what is needed is a clothes-washing device that can wash clothes without electricity in a way that limits damage to the clothes and reduces the amount of associated physical labor. What is also needed is a manual clothes-washing device that enables a person to wash clothes utilizing less water than washing clothes by a manual method. What is further needed is a device that accomplishes these features that is transportable and economically accessible to a wide variety of persons.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a non-electric manual washing device that allows the user to wash clothes in a manner that does not significantly damage the clothing being washed and requires less manual effort than washing clothes by traditional methods. An additional object of the invention is to provide such a manual device that is transportable and economically accessible by a wide variety of persons.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.